I once overheard George Page, owner of Sea Breeze Farm, answer a question from a customer at the West Seattle farmers market, and I'll never forget what he said.
The customer walked up, briefly glanced into the coolers, and then asked Page, "so are you certified organic?" To which Page replied, "we're so far beyond organic, man." The customer walked away without buying anything, but I couldn't help but grin.

It's really the best when you can fight for something you believe in by eating really well. And drinking, too. With your friends.
That's the story this Thursday, October 3rd, when you can choose between two neighborhood restaurant hops (one in Ballard, the other in Capitol Hill) to raise funds to support 522, the initiative to make labeling of GMO foods the law.

I spent the last three days and nights ingesting a crazy amount of food and bev at FeastPDX, the Bon Appetit-sponsored food fest in the Rose City. It was the festival's second year; I attended last year as well. And while I had no complaints about last year, overall I think this year's festival was better: more events, a few free events, some very good tasting panels and speakers, and of course, the primo events: the Sandwich Invitational, Night Market and High Comfort.

This weekend, the biggest and best Northwest food festival is taking place in Portland. Seventy food media and at least that many star chefs--from Philly, New York City, Charleston, Austin, LA and Seattle--are taking over the Rose City for Feast Portland, a nonstop food blitz: tasting events, lectures, wine and beer events, collaborative dinners, and woah, are there some after-parties.
But if you're not already going, you're not going, since almost everything's sold out.

It's hard to know what to root for this time of year: More of this sensational summer weather, long dinners on the patio, meals at home that come together almost too easily with just a sliced ripe tomato and some cheese to start, something off of the grill for the main, and peak season fruit to finish. Or for the soothing cool mornings of autumn, sweater weather, the coziness of meandering walks through dry leaves, trips to the pumpkin patch, apple sauce and cider.

They said they were opening next Tuesday.
But, in a twist (who doesn't love a twist?), Westward and Little Gull Grocery, the north Lake Union waterfront seafood-centric, boat-up spots we've been waiting all summer for, are open! Right now. For lunch and dinner. And the in-between hours (11am til 10pm, or 11pm on weekends).

There've been some really nice developments happening down in the Rainier Valley lately. At the top of my list is the opening of Tin Umbrella, a sweet coffee shop in the under-served Hillman City neighborhood. Owner Joya Iverson spoke with the Rainier Valley Post about how she came to open the shop, and her story's quite an inspiration.

Last winter I introduced you to my favorite Snoqualmie Pass lunch stop, the Aardvark Curry Trailer. I've got a soft spot for folks who live their passion, and Dan's the happiest guy cooking out of a trailer I've ever met. His curry bowls are a huge hit with boarders, skiers and snowshoers, but he's outgrown his tiny digs. Wood's hoping to move into a real kitchen, one he intends to build inside a train. Well, part of a train.

In this age, it's the rare restaurant that opens without months of pre-opening buzz, endless teasing out of who'll tend bar and what the tables and chairs will look like. Every picture posted on Facebook, every newsy bit is covered by the food media. Last week alone we here at Seattle magazine (along with, ahem, several other publications) heralded the opening of Rachel's Ginger Beer at Pike Place Market only to say, Wait! Whoops! I take it back. Not open quite yet! The food news in this town is near impossible to keep up with, even when it's your fulltime job.

I drive past the home of Humble Pie (at 525 Rainier Ave, at Weller Street) on the edge of the International District (technically it's the Central District) almost daily on my way to and from the south end. And for over a year, I've watched as owner Brian Solazzi gradually built decking, planted living roofs and installed chicken pens around the two shipping containers he moved onto the property to house his pizza place.